Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-05543

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 20 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether agency staff employed in health and social care settings will be given the same priority as permanent staff for COVID-19 PCR tests.

As demand for COVID testing reaches new levels, we continue to adapt the Test & Protect system in order to protect the vulnerable and support the resilience of essential workforces.

From Wednesday 29 December prioritised booking slots have been made available at test sites for all essential workers, including health and care workers and this covers agency staff. Prioritised booking slots can be accessed by clicking to confirm you are an essential worker when booking a test online.

This is in addition to the local arrangements that Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs) and NHS health boards have in place for PCR testing for employees including agency staff.

Question reference: S6W-05534

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 20 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government who is responsible for co-ordinating civil contingency and national resilience planning.

In Scotland there are key categorised responder organisations, defined in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 (CCA), such as the blue light services, health boards, local authorities, and SEPA that are responsible for ensuring the effective management of emergencies. They are required by the CCA to be part of one of three Regional Resilience Partnerships (RRPs) who are supported by staff provided by Scottish Government.

Resilience Division leads on civil contingencies and resilience planning within Scottish Government, though all policy areas are responsible for risks that sit within their portfolio, such as Health for public health outbreaks, and Animal Health and Welfare for animal health outbreaks. Resilience Division supports internal and external partners to prepare, respond and recover from emergencies such as severe weather, major incidents and public health outbreaks.

Question reference: S6O-00677

Asked by: Collette Stevenson, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 January 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many pupils in East Kilbride will be included in the roll-out of free school breakfasts and the expansion of free school lunches.

Question reference: S6O-00663

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 January 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the Scottish Sentencing Council’s Sentencing Young People guideline, which is due to come into force on 26 January 2022.

Question reference: S6O-00660

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 January 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how it will address the reported repair backlog in Scottish Fire and Rescue Service properties.

Question reference: S6O-00671

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6O-00662

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 January 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported criticisms expressed by the legal sector concerning the proposals outlined in the legal services regulation reform consultation.

Question reference: S6O-00679

Asked by: Jim Fairlie, MSP for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 January 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assistance Skills Development Scotland can provide to OVO Energy employees in Perthshire South and Kinross-shire who are reportedly facing redundancy.

Question reference: S6O-00666

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 January 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many people whose biological sex is male are currently in women’s prisons in Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-00681

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 January 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its teacher recruitment drive.